Daniel mcfarlan moore



No Model.)

D. MCP. MOORE.

AUTOMATIC VIBRATORY INTBRRUPTER.

No. 604,684. Patented May 24, N398.

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UNTTED STATES TATTNT Ormes.

DANIEL MGFARLAN MOORE, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE MOORE ELECTRICAL COMPANY, OF NEWv YORK, N. Y.

UTONIATlC VIBRATORY ENTERRUPTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 604,684, dated May 24, 1898.

Application filed December 17, 1896. Serial No. 615,971. (No model.)

T @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL MCFARLAN MOORE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Automatic Vibratory Interrupter, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to automatic circuitro interrupters of the vibratory type, and is designed more particularly to improve upon interrupters of the class wherein the action is produced by an electromagnet the circuit of which is broken at each vibration.

The object of theinvention is to insure the continued action of the interrupter whenever from any imperfection of its contacts or from other cause the device comes to arest; and the invention consists in the combination, with zo the interrupter, of a jarring device which acts to cause the interrupter to shake or tremble and to thereby resume its action. This jarring device is preferably in the form of a knocker, striker, or hammer which is caused to impinge upon the interrupter or the support therefor either at periodically-recurring intervals of greater or less duration, as desired, oris by some controlling device brought into action only when occasion demands, as 3o When the automatic interrupter ceases or deviates from its normal action. This controlling device may be a sluggish electromagnet connected into the circuit of the interrupter and adjusted as to sluggishness so as not to respond to the interrupter, but to act When the interrupter comes tol rest, and thereby prolongs or continues the iiovv of current over the interrupter-contacts or otherwise deviates from its normal action, so as to permit the 4o passage of an abnormal current. Conveniently the magnet may serve as an actuatingmagnet to lift or draw back the striker for its blow, and when so used it may by combination With a suitable circuit-breaker be made to have an automatic vibratory movement, so as to vibrate the striker and cause its blows to be repeated.

My invention is intended primarily for application to automatic interrupters for circuits of self-induction Whose discharges are 5o employed for producing luminous or other peculiar effects, as described in my prior patents, Nos. 548,576 and 548,127; and the present invention consists, further, in the combination, With said circuit, of means for giving self-induction to the circuit placed on both sides of the break at the interrupter instead of on one side only, as shown in said patents. Ordinarily coils organized to give high selfinduction may be used for this purpose. The 6o Vsecond self-induction coil may conveniently be the coil of the magnet before referred to which operates With the striker or knocker; but other coils may be used for the purpose, and generally Will produce better effects if Aconstructed for rapid discharge.

The invention consists also in certain improvements in vibratory interrupters Whereby a more steady and rapid action may be secured. 7o

The invention consists, further, in the combinations of apparatus speciiically hereinafter claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a general diagram of apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a modilication in the manner of controlling the action of the jarring device. Fig. 3 is a further modication.

Referring to Fig. 1, a is a circuit to be rapidly interrupted," and B is the interrupter-le- 8o ver, included, with its back contact, as shown, in said circuit. The interrupter is kept in vibration by an electromagnet C, also in said circuit and acting in obvious and Well-known manner. Preferably the core of magnet C is 8 5 laminated or madeof a bundle of iron Wires. Said magnet may serve to give self-induction to the circuit interrupted, and its discharge may be delivered to a circuit h, connected to opposite sides of the break produced by the 9o interrupter for the production directly or indirectly of luminous effects in a vacuumtube or for other purposes. This interrupterlever B is What I term a balance-lever and is pivoted at or near its center of gravity, so as to be capable of movement on its fulcrum free from any tendency to pendulous or other raction and effects of inertia or momentum,

being thereby left perfectly free to take on such vibration as may be imparted to it by the interrmittent action of the magnet or magnets which operate upon it. As a retractor for such lever acting in opposition to magnet C, I employ electrom agnet D by preference, which magnet is energized from the circuit a or otherwise and preferably exerts a constant pull tending to cause the vibrator to close the circuit. By this organization I am enabled to secure an exceedingly rapid action of the interrupter and one well suited for use in systems of lighting wherein the discharges from a circuit of induction which is rapidly interrupted are employed as a means for lighting a vacuum-tube or other device.

The tube inclosing and Within which the interrupter is mounted is supported on a stand or clip, as shown.

E is a knocker or striker adapted to'strike upon and jar the tube, thereby jarring the interrupter and causing it to slightly vibrate or tremble. This knoeker may consist of the core of the electromagnet F, which actuates the striker. The end of the core may be armed with leather where it strikes the tube, so as to diminish the chance of breakage, and the electromagnet may draw up the striker for the blow and then release it through interruption of its own circuit produced by a circuit-breaker, (indicated at f,) one member of which is moved by the core away from contact with the opposite member, said circuitbreakerbeing in and normally completingr the circuit of said electromagn et F. B y this means the striker will operate as an automatic vibratory striker so long as current suitable for operating the core is continually supplied to said electromagnet. The action of the striker or knocker, however operated, may be controlled by a sluggish magnet in the circuit of the interrupter B and adjusted so as not to respond to the influence of the current when rapidly broken by the interrnpter, but to nevertheless act when the interrupter deviates from normal action or stops acting and allows an increase or modification in the flow of current across its contacts. The sluggish magnet may also actuate the striker or jarring device, as shown in Fig. l. vWhen the knocker is used as shown in Fig. l or as shown in Fig. 2, the sluggish magnet may bring the kn ecker into action by closing a circuit to its actuating-magnet E or to a magnet operating in any other way to bring the knocker or striker into action. rlhe magnet may be made sluggish by using' a solid piece of iron for its core or by providing the magnet with an inductive sleeve, band, or circuit of copper or other conductor closed on itself in short circuit or in any other way, as well understood in the art. ln Fig. 2 the slug gish magnet F has an armature which serves, when drawn by the magnet, to close a branch which includes the knocker-magnet E. The latter in this case actuates its armature to cause the same to strike and jar the inter rupter or its support. The interrupter is here shown as of the ordinary spring-mounted type.

The operation of the apparatus is briefly as follows: During normal action of the interrupter B the core E maintains its position, being unadapted to respond te the brief or momentary pulses of current. If the interrupter stops or slows or fails to complete its full vibration, more current flows, and the striker com es into action, jars the interrup ter, and starts it into operation again and itself comes to rest. XVith each interruption the circuit of self-induction discharges into circuit Z) Z1, coils C and F at such time acting in concert to produce the desired efi'ccts. rl`his second coil also has a beneficial effect in preventing the extra currents generated by the break from flowing off upon the circuits from which the self-induction circuit takes its current. It is preferably constructed er adj usted so that the self-induction of the circuit at opposite sides of the break shall be practically equal. I find that by eqnalizing the self-induction at the opposite sides of the break l obviate to a great extent the discharges across the points of the interrupter, which discharge passes across the break as a small arc and produces heating and by clectrolytic action produces waste or wear of the contacts. rlhis I find in practice is a very valuable feature, inasmuch as it practically does away with the wear of the contacts and also avoids the dissipation across said contacts of the discharge, which would otherwise go to the circuit containing the tube or other device. As already stated, this feature is of value also in preventing the flow over the line of the high-potential energy by choking it back at the instant of interruption.

As indicated in Fig. 3, the magnet of the knocker or striker might be connected into a branch or independent circuit and operate at all times to insure continued action of the interrupter. The striker-magnet may be adj usted to produce a comparativelyslow movcment of the striker. The action of the interrupter should ordinarily be very rapid.

As shown in Fig. 3, an independent electromagnet C2 may operate as the second self-induction coil on the opposite side of the break from C. This self-induction coil is constructed for rapidity ci' charge and discharge. In Fig. 3 the striker engages the base supporting the apparatus.

1What I claim as my invention isl. The combination in an automatic vibratory interrupter, of an operating magnet therefor in the circuit including the inter-- rupter-contacts, and a jarring device for insuring continuous action of the interrupter, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination with an automatic elec tromagnetic vibratory interruptor, substantially as described, of astriker for jarringthe IIO contacts, and a separate actuating-magnet for said striker in a circuit controlled by the interrupter.

3. The combination with an automatic vibratory interrupter, substantially as set forth, of a striker, and a sluggish magnet controlling it and energized on the cessation of the interrupter, as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination with an automatic vibratory interrupter, of a striker, and a sluggish actuating-magnet therefor having a selfacting circuit-breaker controlled by the iiow of current through the interrupter-contacts, as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination with an automatic rapidly-operatingvibratory interrupter,substan tially as described, of a Vibratory striker o1' knocker independently of the vibratory portion of the interrupter, and a magnet in the circuit of the interrupter-contacts for operating it, as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination with a pivoted vibratory contact, of contacts with which it coperates to make and break an electric circuit, of a striker for jarring the pivoted contact but without touching it to prevent its sticking to a contact with which it cooperates.

7. The combination with a vacuous receptacle, of a balanced vibrating contact mounted therein, a contact within said receptacle with which the balanced Contact cooperates to make and break circuit, magnets for vibrating the balanced contact, and a striker for jarring the receptacle occasionally to insure the continued operation of the balanced contact.

S. The combination with a vibrating contact, of magnets alternately energized to produce the vibration of said contact, a striker -for jarring the vibrating contact to insure its continuous action, and a magnet for controlling the actions of the striker, said magnet being connected in the circuit controlled by the interrupter and timed to act when the interrupter comes to rest, as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a vibratory interrupter, a balanced lever and two magnets operating respectively at opposite sides of the fulcrum of said lever one to close and the other to open the circuit, in combination with a circuit controlled by the interrupter and containing means whereby the interrupter is maintained in continuous operation, as and for the purpose described.

10. The combination with a vacuous receptacle, of a balanced contact mounted therein, a Xed contact sealed in the Wall of said receptacle and engaging the balanced contact, and electromagnets arranged exterior to and under opposite ends of the balanced contact for producing a continuous vibration of said contact for the purpose set forth.

11. The combination in an automatic continuously-operating vibratory interrupter having an actuating-magnet in the circuit of the interrupter-contacts, of a retractor-magnet supplied by a branch from the main circuit and acting with a constant retracting power tending to close the circuit to the interrupter.

12. In a vibratory interrupter, a balanced contact-lever, a magnet acting with a constant power upon said lever and tending thereby to maintain it in a certain position, and another magnet in the circuit of the interrupter-contacts and acting intermittently to move said contact-lever from that position for the purpose set forth.

18. The combination with the interrupter, of the circuit of self-induction having two self-inductive coils on opposite sides of the break respectively, and a circuit into which said coils discharge in concert connected to opposite sides of said break.

14. In an apparatus for producing electric vibrations or disturbances by discharges from a rapidly-interrupted circuit of induction, the combination with an interrupter, of a circuit having its self-induction equalized at opposite sides of the break.

Signed at New-York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 15th day of December, A. I). 1896.

DANIEL MOFARLAN MOORE.

Witnesses:

WM. I-I. CAPEL, D. H. DECKER. 

